Karnataka elections 2023: The Election Commission on Wednesday announced the schedule for the Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections. The southern state will go to polls on May 10 and the counting of votes is scheduled for May 13. The EC announced that the date for nominations would be April 13 and the last date for filing nominations would be on April 20. The date for scrutiny of nominations is April 21 and last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 24.
The term of the 224-member Karnataka Assembly ends on May 24. As per the electoral roll published, over 5.21 crore electors are registered, out of which 5.55 lakh are PwD electors.
According to ECI, for the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka, 58,282 polling stations will be set up in 224 ACs. The average voter per PS is 883. 50% of polling stations have a webcasting facility. For an enhanced voter experience, 1320 polling stations will be managed by women officials.
While addressing the presser, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also said that first-time voters have increased from 2018-19 by 9.17 lakhs in Karnataka. All young voters who are turning 18 years of age by April 1, will be able to vote in the Karnataka Assembly elections.
The BJP came to power in Karnataka in July 2019, after the collapse of the coalition government of JD-S and the Congress, which was formed after the 2018 election.
ALSO READ: Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar showers Rs 500 notes during roadshow | WATCH
The BJP currently with 121 MLAs in the assembly faces a tough fight from Congress with 70 and the JD-S 30 seats. The BJP, which lacks a mass leader in the election-bound state has also changed Chief Minister during its tenure, with BS Yediyurappa resigning in July 2021 and being replaced by Basavaraj Bommai.
